Caterham Dene Gets In The Christmas Spirit

Members of the Caterham Rotary Club brought a touch of festive cheer to Caterham Dene Community Hospital on Friday performing carols and festive songs to patients, visitors and staff.

The carol singing was part of a community open afternoon at Caterham Dene Hospital. Members of local community groups were invited to join MP for East Surrey Sam Gyimah, the Caterham Dene League of Friends and First Community Health and Care to hear about the importance of the services provided at the Dene for the local community.

First Community Health and Care, a local social enterprise that runs NHS services from Caterham Dene Hospital, have recently invested in improvement works to the Dene including redecoration of the outpatient physiotherapy clinic, a new audiology booth and improvements to other clinic spaces. This would not have been possible without the donations from the Caterham Dene League of Friends. The League of Friends will also have a new shop opening in the reception area. The League of Friends for Caterham Dene was formed in 1949 and now has over 700 members. Since this time they have donated over £500,000 for hospital equipment.

Caterham Dene plays a vital role in the local community and to reduce pressures on other parts of the healthcare system, including A&E. First Community Health and Care provide a 28-bedded rehabilitation ward, a rapid assessment clinic and a local minor injury unit, open from 9am – 8pm 365 days a year for people aged 18 and over. Since opening, the Minor Injury Unit has increased its visitors to over 820 per week. Caterham Dene is also the base for a number of services in the local community including health visitors, school nurses and district nursing.

Members of staff at Caterham Dene Hospital enjoy taking part in community events throughout the year such as the Bunny Fun Run at Easter, the Santa Fun Run and Caterham Festival where they held a bake sale for the League of Friends.

MP for East Surrey Sam Gyimah visited the hospital to look at the building works taking place and to hear about how the Dene has added to its local community over the year. The event ended with the local Rotarians and Sam Gyimah visiting patients, their friends and family to sing carols together and wish all a Merry Christmas.

Sam Gyimah said:

“We are extremely fortunate to have a facility like Caterham Dene on our doorstep, providing compassionate care at the heart of the community. Caterham Dene offers a fantastic range of services for residents, from the minor injury unit through to the elderly care and children’s services that so many families rely on. It also represents real value for money, and I look forward to working with Caterham Dene to ensure they continue to receive the financial support they need to move forward. I was delighted to be able to visit on Friday, and express my appreciation to all the staff and management who make this wonderful facility what it is.”

About First Community

First Community is part of the NHS family delivering community healthcare services in East Surrey and the surrounding area. We offer a friendly face with highly rated, well-run services, delivered by our skilled people. We provide high-quality nursing and therapy teams, children and family services as well as a ward, rapid assessment clinic and minor injury unit at Caterham Dene Hospital.

We are passionate about the communities where we work and we really do put community first. It’s at the heart of what we do. As a social enterprise, our people share in ownership and decision-making, taking responsibility for delivering great care. We also work together to identify any savings we can make, creating additional funds that go straight back into the local community.

Caterham Dene is a vibrant community hospital based in the heart of Caterham. We provide services for patients registered with an East Surrey GP.